The Mole Creek area is renowned for its Marakoopa and King Solomons Caves.
The Mole Creek area is renowned for its caves. Marakoopa and King Solomons Caves are but two caves in an area that contains over 300 known caves which began to form about 30 million years ago. Both caves are home to a range of fascinating animals which have evolved features which allow them to adapt to their lightless environments.
Marakoopa Caves at Mole Creek
During our tour we will see animals that dwell in the dark, stalagmites that soar to lofty roofs, streams that disappear into the ground, glow-worms that twinkle like stars in this underground wonderland. The glow-worm display in Marakoopa Cave is the largest you'll see in any public access cave anywhere in Australia.
But underground is only part of the story. Up top, the mountains, highland plateau country, rainforests, streams, lakes, gorges and waterfalls form the stunning heartland of Mole Creek. Much of this land is protected in world heritage area, forest reserves, and national parks.
When you’ve toured the caves take some time to walk through the beautiful forests in the national park, and reflect on the wonders beneath the ground you’re walking on.
The landscape in the Mole Creek area is more than just a passive object for viewing. It has a story to tell. An Aboriginal presence has marked the land for millennia. The Great Western Tiers, "Mountains of the Spirits" and the Mole Creek area hold places sacred to local aboriginal heritage.
Superimposed, in more recent times, on that heritage is the history of the white settlers who came to till the soil, trap fur-bearing animals and fell the trees. Their settlement spawned a rich folklore of life in the high country - the snarers, the mountain cattlemen, and the loggers who shared their own intimacy with the land. The mountain huts built by some of these proud, independent men are among the most original in the world, and many have been restored.
The landscape is also a story about plant and animal life. The Tasmanian Tiger once roamed here. The Great Western Tiers still hosts a rich diversity of animal and birds life, ranging from minute cave creatures to the world's largest barn owl and one of the world's largest eagles, and of course still remains the play ground of the Tasmanian Devil. The Great Western Tiers also hosts a similar diversity of plant life, from small mosses to the world's largest acacia.